par AFRICA SUCCESS 
On July 9, 2025, in Accra, three individuals were honored by the Pan-African Media Network for the Promotion of the Economy. This award recognizes their major role in the continent’s economic development as top entrepreneurs and business leaders whose contributions to Africa’s economy are true assets for its socio-economic progress.
1 – Mahamadou Bonkoungou
For over ten years, Bonkoungou has stood out through major infrastructure projects: the bypass road in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), the airports of Korhogo and San Pedro (Ivory Coast), road construction sites in Gabon, as well as innovative initiatives like transforming seawater into drinking water.
His work is based on a pan-African vision of development, effective partnerships with states, and a deep commitment to improving people’s living conditions. This award recognizes a strategic actor in the modernization of the continent and an inspiring model for future generations of African leaders.
2 – Aliko Dangote
Dangote began his career in 1977 with financial support from his family. He entered the cement trade—rare at the time—which enabled him to rapidly grow his business into what would become Dangote Cement. In 1981, he founded the Dangote Group, diversifying into sugar, rice, and finance. In the 1990s, he shifted towards industry, building sugar and pasta factories.
In 2007, he listed several companies on the stock exchange, including Dangote Cement, now Nigeria’s largest publicly traded company. At the time, his fortune was estimated at $10 billion. He expanded operations across Africa, particularly in cement, and in 2013 invested $8 billion in a petroleum refinery. That same year, he became the first African to surpass $20 billion in net worth. In 2016, he launched SunTrust, a digital bank, and has consistently advocated for Africa’s economic development.
Despite being praised for his modesty and local investment strategies, he has faced criticism over his close ties to political power. In 2020, he expressed interest in buying the Arsenal football club, though unsuccessfully. In 2021, the Nigerian state invested in his refinery, confirming his strategic influence. By 2024, he reaffirmed his commitment to using African resources for African markets.
As for his wealth, he has consistently ranked as Africa’s richest person by Forbes, with an estimated fortune of $13.5 billion in 2023.
3 – Rebecca Enonchong
Rebecca Enonchong is a Cameroonian tech entrepreneur who founded AppsTech in 1999, a company specializing in enterprise software solutions. As an Oracle partner, AppsTech has clients in over 40 countries and has opened offices in Africa, including in Ghana and Cameroon, although the latter faced challenges.
Enonchong has received international recognition, notably being named a « Global Leader for Tomorrow » by the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2002. She has also appeared in Forbes rankings and was a finalist for the African Digital Woman Award.
Highly active on Twitter under the handle @Africatechie, she is an influential voice in African technology. She supports local startups, particularly through ActivSpaces, a tech incubator based in Cameroon’s Silicon Mountain. Since 2017 (and re-elected in 2019), she has chaired AfriLabs, a major pan-African network of innovation hubs.
In 2019, she received the Margaret Honorary Award at the Digital Women’s Day. In August 2021, she was briefly arrested in Cameroon for “contempt of court,” which sparked significant online mobilization. She was released after three days.
Additionally, Rebecca Enonchong is involved in numerous nonprofit initiatives, including founding the Africa Technology Forum. She also sits on several international boards, including the Salesforce.com Foundation, VC4Africa, and development institutions such as the UK’s DFID and the United Nations.